Persona: Justice League
by Xoraan
Summary: Watch as characters from Persona become the heroes of the world. Magic, vigilantes, extraterrestrial and even mutants will emerge from our characters of Persona, who will eventually work together to protect the world. Elements from DC and Marvel will be introduced into the story. Rated T for now. Our first hero, Minato Aristato, who will become Thanatos, our Batman.


**Author's Note: I'm having trouble with my others fanfics. It's not to say that I've abandoned them, but that I'm stuck on how to get from A to B. I've worked out the plots, but I just haven't thought of a way of expressing them. In an attempt to start my imagination again, I accidently thought up with Persona characters becoming heroes like in DC and Marvel comics, since I'm a huge fan of all three of them. The plot bunnies after that wouldn't leave me alone, they kept breeding in my head and eventually I sat down and wrote something about them. They are plenty more ideas in my head and on paper for this, so I hope you'll review to tell me what you think of the idea.**

**That said, now let us introduce Minato Arisato, the Dark Knight, Thanatos**

**A new kind of Batman.**

* * *

"It's not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."  
Rachel Dawes, Batman Begins

_Iwatodai, ten years ago..._

_By day, Iwatodai seemed like a prosperous city from afar with its bustling streets, the everyday people passing each other on their way to work, businesses big and small open side by side, skyscrapers that shone in the sun and its docks always busy with ships and plentiful trade. Those who would visit Iwatodai only for a day of business would say that it is pleasant after seeing its grand hotels and first class casinos that served its customers with nothing but the finest service. Its celebrities are some of the most well known in the world, from movie stars to famous practitioners of science and health, Iwatodai had them in spades. And if that wasn't the only thing that brought Iwatodai to the map, then its reputation for world trade did as the city rested on an artificial island at the coasts of Eastern Japan where it could accept ships of foreign goods and dispatch them as easily as the waypoint between East and West. To those who knew Iwatodai by this, the city was a rising star for the world._

_Its residents know better._

_Iwatodai keeps it fabulous appearance by the sun, but like a snake and its old skin, it sheds away as night falls. The skyscrapers loom over the slums and old districts like giants that easily intimidated the small. People walking the streets at night always looked over their shoulder using the street lamps as their only lights when the night made the roads go black. Those who strayed into dark alley ways tend not to be seen coming out. Men with rugged and stone cold looks in stylish cars are never far away from the small businesses on the streets as the shopkeepers always look out their windows left and right, anxious as the night lingered. In the old districts the children were told to rest in as soon as possible but some refused to sleep. And soon they would regret it as they would say to their guardians that they could hear distant screaming but they were so faint they couldn't be sure. The docks were never empty with its ship workers and the coming and going frigates. But the warehouses were the same at night. Some workers at the docks could see lights coming out of some of the warehouses, but they never reported the unauthorised usage. Instead they would turn away and continue working, welcoming the distraction of work from the thoughts of what they knew went on inside those warehouses. And there are always shady men in the shadows, whose eyes would shift with a desire for prey, and then they cower when cars or vans would drive by, as if avoiding the larger predator._

_To its residents and those who weren't blind to its facades, Iwatodai is the city of crime. Where you could smell the greed and corruption from the walls of its wealthy and the desperation and despair from the streets of its poor. It is a city not ruled by its mayor, or its law, or its police, but its crime lords that pilfer and tempt all they could reach out to. Iwatodai can swallow the good and innocence of man and leave the rest to rot._

_Despite the majority of it population being either in illegal activity or in fear out of their own shadows, Iwatodai has a few good men and women who are willingly giving the city its chance to be the best it can be. One of them is Eiji Arisato, renowned doctor and CEO of one of the wealthiest and technologically advanced corporations in the world, Arisato Industries. He is the wealthiest man in Iwatodai, ongoing millionaire and soon to be billionaire, and with a heart and soul of generosity and empathy. In short, he is a good man to those who need him. Happily married to his loving childhood friend, Rei, the couple wants nothing more than to make Iwatodai a better place. They live out their dream by opening hospitals, orphanages and homes for the deprived people of the city and their happiness that their accomplishments gave them could not be rivalled by any other source._

_Except for their son, Minato Arisato._

_The young boy of eight years of age that inherited his father's hair and face and his mother's eyes was the generous couple's pride and joy. And to the Minato, his parents were the world to him. Their love for each other was one of a perfect family._

* * *

_Arisato Mansion, ten years ago..._

"_Darling, stop making a fuss and let me do your tie."_

"_I'm a grown man Rei. I need to be able to present myself without your assistance someday, sooner or later."_

"_Perish the thought Eiji, the day you can dress appropriately for something that isn't related to your patients or the company is the day we fire Igor."_

"_I'm delighted to hear your faith in my employment here Mistress Rei," an old but high pitched voice said from behind black haired woman in a dark blue silk dress and adorned with a diamond necklace who was fixing the tie of the cobalt haired man in front of her. "My granddaughter is always stressing about the day I lose my job and shame the clan name of assisting the Arisatos."_

"_I'm sure Margaret will realise that it'll never happen Igor," the man replied, "Though I doubt such faith will ever come from my wife when I'm going through my wardrobe."_

_The woman playfully shoved the man in the shoulder with a chuckle as soon as she was finished with the tie. "Perhaps I would if you hadn't mixed up our little Minato's pyjamas with your boxers."_

_The man simply let out a 'humph' and a pout._

"_That face is not going to make me forget that incident Eiji," the woman said in response to her husband's face. "Poor Minato was crying over the tatters of his Featherman pyjamas. It was a good thing that Elizabeth and Theo were kind enough to stitch it back together. You worked wonders raising those three grandchildren of yours Igor."_

_The man addressed as Igor, a man with slight hunch in his back but still look straight and proper in his butler attire, a wide smile stretching from ear to ear and a nose that could give Pinocchio a run for his money, simply smiled and bowed. "I merely gave them the resources. They learned and worked it all out by themselves. Their parents would be proud."_

_Eiji Arisato, now sporting a tie to go with his suit, placed a hand on his butler's shoulder. "They were good friends to me and to my wife. Their children may have been too young to remember them but I'm sure they will care for you as much as they could've cared for them."_

"_Thank you Master Eiji," replied the butler, "I owe it to you as well for them, as I could have never been able to care for them without you allowing them to live here. Now, I believe that it's nearly six thirty, and your booking at the Yamagishi's is at six forty five. I wouldn't want to be late for their sushi."_

_With a laugh Eiji Arisato patted his butler on the back. "Neither would I, Igor. Now let's see if Minato's worked up an appetite with your grandchildren down stairs."_

_The three exited the master bedroom, into the red wallpapered halls and down the marble stairs that led to the vast entry room of the mansion. As they walked down three children could be seen playing with various toys on the carpeted floor. A teenage girl in a blue dress with yellow hair and eyes was sitting on a cushioned chair, observing the three children while still keeping concentration on a thick tome in her hands. Two of the children on the floor had the same hair and eyes as the teenager, a boy and a girl who also wore similar blue attire. The boy was setting up train tracks on the floor as the girl was assisting by giving more parts when needed. Finally, the last child was a boy in a small black tux with cobalt hair like Eiji's who was running a toy train along the tracks the other boy was laying down, letting out sounds of 'Choo! Choo!'_

_The cobalt haired boy's eyes and ears perked up as the adults' footsteps resounded off the stairs. Like a spring, he bounced up from his position on the floor, the toy train forgotten, and rushed over to the young man and woman with a bright smile and closed eyes yelling, "Mom! Dad!"_

_The young mother laughed as her son bounced into her arms and she lifted him up to her face. "Are you hungry Minato?" she asked with a beaming smile._

"_Yeah!" was the reply from the eight year old boy. "I wanna try wasabi this time!"_

_The young father could help but laugh at the blind enthusiasm from his son. "I don't think that's such a good idea Minato. Maybe little Fuuka-chan can play with you for a bit instead."_

_Minato looked at his father from his mother's arms with a look of confusion on his face. "But Fuuka-chan always says that she doesn't feel well when I want to play with her. Does she not like me?"_

_Rei, ever knowing with a woman's intuition, gave her son a rub through his hair before letting down from her arms. "Maybe it's the opposite of that Minato. You'll understand one day."_

_The girl with yellow eyes came up to Igor with the boy close behind and asked, "Master Igor, when attending to your masters and mistresses are we suppose to remain as distant from them as possible? One of sister's books describes servants being as detached from their masters as well as loyal."_

_The said sister merely kept her eyes on the book as Igor turned to see how his eldest grandchild responded. The look was long enough for the teenager to feel obliged to speak, "I told her that it is not our family way already, but she wants to hear it from you."_

_Igor tried to roll his eyes but instead he found himself smiling in amusement. "Elizabeth, no good servant would ever be loyal without being close to their wards. In our clan, the Arisatos are the same as family and at that we treat each other as such. The only difference is that we serve the Arisatos as they keep us as their most trusted companions. That is our way."_

"_That is our way..." the boy repeated, "And we will serve Master Minato as you serve Master Eiji and Mistress Rei?"_

"_That is correct Theo. I'm sure you've all become very close in all these years together. So I have no doubt you'll be there for each other when needed."_

"_Igor!" Eiji Arisato called out to his butler, "I think we may be stretching time here. It would be best to fetch the Lamborghini, no?"_

"_Excellent choice sir, a very subtle design," Igor said with no hint of sarcasm in his voice whatsoever, "I will drop you off at the Yamagishis and then pick you up by nine. Margaret, make sure Theo and Elizabeth don't sabotage the garden fountains while I'm gone."_

"_I make no such obligations."_

_Igor turned to face his other two grandchildren. "And you two promise me your teenage years won't be like this."_

_Theo immediately nodded but Elizabeth on the other hand merely stated, "I make no such promises."_

_The young brother of the three siblings turned and waved to his future charge and said, "I hope you have a pleasant evening Master Minato."_

_Minato smiled and waved back. "Thanks Theo! It's going to great! I just- 'cough!'" The young boy was stopped in his speech as coughs began to escape his throat._

_Eiji kneeled down to his son and patted him on the back. "Son, are you feeling well?"_

_Minato huffed to regain his breath but did not look deterred as he looked back at his father. "I'm fine Dad! Let's go!"_

* * *

_The restaurant owned by the Yamagishis was full with diners of wealthy class. Chandeliers lit the vast room of the restaurant with tables covered with white cloth were standing ready to be eaten off. It was on one of these tables that the Arisatos were seated with another family. Eiji Arisato was in a comfortable conversation with the man of the other family. "It seems your restaurant is still going strong Yamato."_

"_Of course," replied the man sitting next to the head Arisato, "I've only hired the best cooks that Iwatodai has to offer. And I owe some of them to you Eiji, since your donations to Iwatodai's mayor has greatly improved the living conditions here. I wouldn't have half the staff I have here now if they hadn't moved here from other cities."_

"_Eiji was more than happy to help the city Yamato-san," Rei inputted as she swirled the wine in her glass. "We would like nothing more than to see Iwatodai grow to its real potential."_

"_Other than your son having a wonderful life, I take it?" the woman of the Yamagishis cheekily said as she pointed to the green haired girl at her side who was slowly nudging her seat closer to the other side while Minato was obliviously looking around the decorated room. "Didn't Kirijo-san introduce his daughter to him last year? I heard that out of the many boys little Mitsuru has been introduced to she acts more openly with him. I think someone's going to be quite the playboy if he grows up to be anything like your husband."_

_Rei gave a mock faint posture but couldn't keep the grin off her face. "Being married to most handsome and richest man in Iwatodai and trying to hold on to him is like a drama Kaede, just thinking of my son being chased by as many girls as Eiji was back in high school gives me chills."_

_The adults of the table erupted into laughter right after as the food had arrived. The adults conversed a little longer before they started to serve the food to each other and themselves. The only two children, however, were quiet as the dinner began. The little girl with green hair then said, "Minato-kun doesn't look so good."_

_The two Arisato parents immediately stopped whatever they with doing and turned to face their son. Minato was doing his best to sit up straight but his shoulders were constantly rebounding from a straight back to a hunch. His arm was wrapped around his stomach and his eyes were half close and strained. The cobalt haired boy waved his other hand and unconvincingly said, "I'm fine Mom! Really!"_

"_Minato dear," Rei moved close to her son and placed her hand on her son's forehead, "I think you have a fever."_

"_He hasn't eaten anything..." Eiji Arisato pondered out loud as he came out of his chair and over to Minato's. "He may have caught a bacterial infection from earlier today."_

"_I-I'm fine," Minato weakly protested but his mother smothered them as she brought her face down to his with a gentle 'shush' and kissed him on the cheek._

"_We'll take you home early," she said kindly to him, "I don't want you getting worse."_

"_Sorry about this Yamato," Eiji told his friend at the table._

"_No need for apologies Eiji, just get your son home so he can get better. Fuuka will see him again, won't you Fuuka?"_

_The little green haired girl slowly ducked under the table as her father directed the attention to her. Eiji Arisato picked his son up into his arms and carried him so that as the Arisato's walked away from the table the cobalt haired boy could wave to the girl. She ducked down a little faster after that._

_Outside the restaurant Rei reached into her purse and took out her cell phone, pressing a button for speed dial. "Igor, it's me. Minato's not feeling well and we want to bring him home. I know you weren't supposed to pick us up so early but I don't want Minato to get any worse... Thank you Igor, we'll be just outside the restaurant." She flipped the phone closed and returned it to the purse. "Igor's on the way. He'll be here in ten minutes."_

"_Good old Igor," was Eiji's response. The father and doctor gently patted his son on the back. "If you weren't feeling well earlier Minato, why didn't you tell us?"_

_Minato leaned back from his father's shoulder and looked him in the eye with his childish grin. "I... I wanted to be with you guys."_

_Rei smiled and caressed Minato's cheek with her soft hand. "Minato, you could've done that at home."_

"_But you and Dad are so busy that we haven't been out for dinner for a long time."_

"_We went to have dinner with Kirijo-san last week, remember?"_

"_But a week is so long ago!" Minato whined._

_The parents chuckled at their son's antics, not seeing the man in a trench coat walking towards them. Minato noticed however and went deathly quiet as the man got closer. His parents took notice of this and followed Minato's line of sight and finally saw the man walking in their direction. Eiji and Rei kept their backs to him, not wanting to confront a stranger in the eye. The whole family waited in silence for the man to pass them. To Minato, it seemed everything went slow as his heart raced at the face of the scary man. The stranger eventually passed the family, but not before locking eyes with Minato. The young boy could see the man's lower face was covered in hair stumble, in need of a shave, and his eye pupils were smaller than anyone that he ever met. Tensing from the eye contact, Minato hid his face in his father's shoulder until he heard the man's footsteps get softer and softer._

_The whole family then let out their breaths they did not realise they were holding. Eiji tried to ease the tension by conversation. "Sure was scary for a moment, huh?"_

"_It certainly made my heart race there," his wife replied._

"_When's Igor getting here? I don't think staying out here is such a good ide-"_

_CLICK_

_The family froze as that sound resonated in the air. Eiji looked his son who he could feel trembling in his arms. He saw Minato's trembling mouth and wide eyes which were looking straight in the direction behind Eiji. The elder Arisato turned his head to see the man again, this time with something else in his hands._

_A handgun._

"_Come with me," the man ordered, cocking his gun into Eiji's back. "Make a sound for help and I'll shoot. If you try to run, I'll shoot. If you do something I don't like-"_

"_And you'll shoot," Eiji finished for him, "No need to be scary just-"_

"_Interrupt me again and I'll shoot smartass," the gunman harshly barked. Then he pointed his weapon past Eiji's side and threatened, "But it won't just be you."_

_Eiji looked at his wife, who was breathing heavily and biting her lip. The gunman then gestured his weapon to his son, which in response Rei flinched when the gun's direction landed on Minato._

_Eiji quickly responded. "Leave them alone. We'll do what you say, just don't hurt my family."_

_The man led the family from behind a couple of blocks down the road. The further down they went, the darker the shadows seemed to get. Minato kept his eyes on the gun as he was watching the man from his father's shoulder. The gunman caught Minato's eye and ordered, "Your son has legs, make him walk."_

_Eiji stopped in his tracks. A bead of sweat ran down his brow as he slowly let Minato down and held his hand with a death grip._

_The four came to an alleyway, where further inside they could only see the outline of a garbage container and a wired fence in the darkness. "Stop," the man ordered, "turn around."_

_The family did ever so slowly. Minato could hear his mother's breathing getting heavier and his father's hand tightening even more around his own. But he took his eyes off the gun._

_The gunman skulked closer to them, Rei in response grasped her husband's arm with both hands, and with and outstretched hand with his other with the gun he said, "Wallet please."_

_Eiji did not hesitate to reach into his pocket and pull out his wallet. Eager to part with it as the gun was pointing at his wife he placed in the crook's hand. The gunman quickly inspected it with one hand, not letting down the gun hand, he asked for his second spoil. "Purse."_

_Eiji and Rei locked eyes with each other. Eiji nodded to her and she then held out her purse in her trembling hand. The crook snatched it with his free hand and didn't even give it a glance inside. He stood back just a little as he hid Rei's purse into his coat._

_Minato hid behind his father, holding his breath when the man just stood there doing nothing after he took the possessions of his parents._

_Eiji's eyes narrowed at the man. "You have what you wanted, now just leave us alone."_

_The man didn't respond. His beady eyes only looked straight and focused. Following his line of sight Eiji saw what the thug desired._

_Rei's diamond necklace._

"_I'll take that too," the gunman stated as he reached out and grabbed the necklace with force that Rei was pulled by the neck. Her face twisted and her eyes shut tight as the thug had pulled her forth._

_Eiji couldn't stand it any longer. He stepped in front of his wife and separated her from their attacker. "Don't you dare touch-!"_

_**BANG!**_

_The loud sound resonated through the air to most laws of sound and physics, but to Minato it echoed as time slowed down to show him the result of what had transpired._

_His father was falling to the ground, a hole in his chest that had crimson stains around it._

_Time to Minato sped up again when his mother's scream broke out. He could hear her saying his father's name as she rushed down to help hi-_

_**BANG!**_

_Time slowed yet again a second later. The young Arisato watched his mother fall beside his father. He could see the red droplets that came out of the two new holes in his mother's chest drip to the ground. He wanted it stop. He wanted time to go backwards, not slow down on this excruciatingly terrifying scene. Much to his horror, it sped back up, but the scene hadn't change. His parents were on the ground. And they weren't moving._

"_God dammit!" The gunman swore. His gun hand was trembling and his beady eyes were shifting left and right. He breathed heavily, the adrenaline coming around to his heart and head, and he dropped the gun there and then. The sounds of sirens echoed in the night, getting louder and louder. The man panicked further at the closing sounds. In a rush he turned and didn't look back as he ran out of the alley._

_Minato stood frozen, not even acknowledging the departure of the gunman. He then staggered towards his parents on the ground, dropped on his knees and just stared. Then he hiccupped, with a trail of a tear running down his cheek from his eye. More tears followed the first and Minato couldn't control the flow. His mouth betrayed him by letting out quiet wails and cries. "M-Mom...?" he asked, not knowing how desperate he sounded. "D-_hic_-dad?"_

"_M-Minato."_

_Minato gasped as he heard his father's voice. In a blur he was over his father, who was holding his hand on his gun wound and breathing paced but heavy. "I-it'll be alright..."_

"_D-dad!" Minato cried out, his voice still fighting the crying, "I-I need to get help! I-I'll-!"_

"_Hush..." his father let out and held his son's arm. He looked down to where the wound was inflicted and his years as a doctor told him the only truth._

_He wasn't going to make it._

"_Minato," he said, every movement making him wince, putting more effort into just talking, "I... your mother and I... aren't going to see you again anytime soon."_

"_D-dad..." Minato wailed, the tears now flowing like a waterfall._

"_Listen Minato, your mother and I want you to grow up happy. Don't... don't hold on to us. You have a whole life ahead of you. I know that sometimes it'll seem hard, that living sometimes feels that it isn't worth the pain. But I met your mother and I had you. I couldn't be more proud to say that I'm happy that I lived in this city. And I know that someone like you will try to change things for the better. People who change things will have many enemies Minato, and one day you'll feel that the whole world is against you, but never forget... that you won't have to face it alone. There are good people out there Minato, you'll find them. Never forget that, never..."_

_Eiji Arisato's voice faded out as his eyes closed and his hand lost its grip._

_The young, but no longer innocent, boy was left alone and the diamond necklace reflected what little light could be received in the pool of crimson._

* * *

_Police Department of Iwatodai, ten years ago..._

_Officer Kurosawa walked down the halls of Iwatodai's police station, his grim expression never leaving his face. The sound of his footsteps were drowned in the commotion of the other police officers as they scrambled across the hall, entering and exiting, while working on the biggest case of the night._

_The murders of Eiji and Rei Arisato._

_Kurosawa inhaled deeply as his mind wandered back to the scene of the crime. He had been the first police officer to arrive and discover the two 'bright stars' of Iwatodai bodies as he had been patrolling in his police car a few blocks away when he heard the gunfire. He had recognised the couple immediately as he could never forget their faces since they were regular donators to the Police Department of Iwatodai. Their lifeless bodies had certainly given him the first startle of the night, but what had horrified him was that their just as recognisable child had been kneeling beside them. The cobalt haired boy didn't acknowledge Kurosawa when he had arrived. He only continued to stare at his parents' bodies with his blue eyes that were drained of life. Kurosawa called for an ambulance and backup but he knew it was too late. The rest was a blur to Kurosawa as he had let his superiors take charge of the incident._

_The officer then stopped all of a sudden outside one of the office rooms of the building. It was closed and the faded glass had a dim shadow in the shape of a small person on it. Kurosawa stared at the room, knowing who was in there, but his hand hesitated when it reached the knob. Deciding to steel himself, Kurosawa opened the door and received the sight of the same cobalt haired boy, sitting in an office chair._

_Kurosawa stepped into the room calmly, trying not to be too loud upon approach. The boy hadn't looked up to him yet. The police officer kneeled down to the boy and after a moment of mutual silent treatment he spoke, "Hey kid."_

_The boy snapped out of his reverie, finally moving his eyes to the man beside him, but he didn't reply with words. Instead he just stared at the man with blank eyes._

"_I... I know this hard for you," Kurosawa continued, "Losing your parents is something I don't wish on any child."_

_Still no response._

_Kurosawa took off his police uniform's coat, at the same time removing the portable police scanner from it, and wrapped it around the boy's shoulders. "It'll be okay kid."_

_More silence from the child, but in return the boy gave a nod._

* * *

_Arisato Industries Building, ten years ago..._

_A long rectangular table that sat around twenty men in a large room which had an entire wall as a window to the view of Iwatodai from high above was currently occupied by men and women in various business attires. There was one seat at the head of the table, which was occupied by an auburn haired man in a grey suit, red tie and black vest and had an eye patch over his right eye. In his hands was a black folder with blue paper that was the main reason that most of the men and women at the table were present for._

_One of the men finally asked the question on most of their minds. "So how did Eiji-san leave the company? What were his wishes for its future?"_

"_Who will inherit it?" one other man asked straight after. This was a question only a few people in the room wanted to have an answer in their favour._

_The man at the head of the table cleared his throat for the others' silence. "As mediator of this board and trusted friend of Eiji Arisato, I, Takeharu Kirijo, president of the Kirijo Group, will read out his will to all of you as I have already read it to his family."_

_Nearly all the other people at the table unconsciously leaned in._

_Takeharu opened the folder and waited until he was sure no one would interrupt before he read out, "I, Eiji Arisato, leave my possession accordingly to these people. First, to my friend and old rival, Takeharu Kirijo, I leave one of my company projects to his care, Project Hephaestus. All funds, data and technology regarding the project are to be transferred to his care. I trust him to finish what I started."_

_Murmurs aroused around the room, whispers and questions about this will began to come around. Takeharu himself had been left surprised by what he read but did not show that to the members of the board._

"_Secondly, I leave the deeds to the Arisato building in Darktown to my other dear friend, Yamato Yamagishi, on the condition that it will not be taken down or tampered with and it is to be used as a home for orphaned children of Iwatodai. The company's many profits will fund it."_

_This did not seem to be a surprise to the men and women at the table, since they knew that their CEO had been a generous and kind man._

"_And finally, I leave the ownership of all my other belongings, including my estate, my fortune and my company, to my wife, Rei Arisato."_

"_But she's also dead!" cried out a women at the other end of the table. She received a full glare from the Kirijo Group president and silently backed down._

"_In the event that my wife isn't able to accept my possessions," Takeharu continued in a slightly cold tone from the woman's outburst, "I then leave them to my son, Minato Arisato, who is to receive full ownership on his eighteenth birthday and until then the listed possessions will be stewarded by my most trusted friend and servant, Igor. I hope that my departure from this world will not affect the efforts my wife and I have put into making a brighter Iwatodai and that those close to me will continue their lives and not hold back... That is all."_

_The whole room had been stunned into silence. You could hear a pin drop somewhere in the fifty story building. Takeharu pushed back his chair, bowed to those present and left the room with the will in hand. Ten minutes later one of the men had broken the silence. "THE CHILD!?" he cried, "THE $%& CHILD!?"_

* * *

_Arisato Mansion, ten years ago..._

_The funeral service had ended over an hour ago, but the five people standing under the only oak tree in the private cemetery of the estate did not seem deterred from their spots. It wasn't sunny nor was it rainy that day, just grey. When the funeral for Iwatodai's brightest and famous couple had began the cemetery had been filled with men and women in mourning black and a crowd had gathered around the oak tree where the two new tombstones were erected. When half an hour had gone, half the crowd had gone with it. Minutes later, the crowded thinned even further until the five standing there last were left. _

_One of the five was the elder man Igor, who held his hands in front of him the entire time and was still in his butler attire. His wide smile was no longer present and was instead replaced with a solemn frown. "I... wish I had gotten there sooner, Master Eiji, Mistress Rei," he spoke towards the graves. "In all my years of service I never thought I would shame my clan's name by outliving two of my masters. When I served your father Master Eiji, I thought I felt my heart drop to the underworld when he died. Back then when I had moved my services to you I thought it would the greatest shame that I would ever feel, but not anymore."_

_The elderly butler moved back and let his grandchildren pass him so they could stand before the graves. The three siblings were in tunics of the darkest blue distinguishable. Margaret held her two younger siblings by their shoulders as they rested their heads by her sides. She spoke on their behalf, "My family and I owe a great debt to you two, Master Eiji and Mistress Rei. When we lost our parents and had nowhere to go but here you two accepted us without a second thought. I don't know where we would be right now if you had not done so, but I doubt that we would be more fortunate anywhere else than here." Margaret looked to both her siblings, who they in turn gave her nods of the head, and she added, "We will repay this debt to you. I speak for myself and my brother and sister that we will protect and serve your son until it is our time to join our parents. Father, mother... please watch out for them over there."_

_The three siblings stood back from the graves as their grandfather did before them and let the last but closest person to the passed away come forth._

_Minato was wearing his black tux, though his mood made everything about him look as grey as the cloud filled sky above. In his hand was his mother's necklace, washed from the blood but its shine could not be seen in the sunless day. The son stood before his parent's graves, but all was as silent as he was. The world seemed to be waiting for his answer. The seconds went by like heavy weights to the four others who stood waiting._

_Then finally, the words came out._

"_I swear..." Minato Arisato stated, "By your graves and your spirits that I will not rest avenging you both. I will seek out that vengeance... by spending the rest of my life, making Iwatodai a better place, by warring on its criminals and scum..." _

_Minato clenched his fist around his mother's necklace and his voice became hurtful in sound._

"_Like the one that took away your lives! I'll never stop! I'll never stop fighting the corruption of this city and I'll never stop fighting for your dream! NEVER!"_

_The hurt boy gave into his knees and fell down on them. With a hard and swift wave of his arm he planted the fist that held his mother's necklace over his heart. His throat hiccupped and let out hisses, but no tears fell._

_He had enough of crying._

* * *

_Iwatodai Mainland Airport, six years ago..._

_A black private jet was parked on the side of an runway at the busy airport. As a jumbo jet soared above them with its loud engine Igor walked down the stairs that led to the inside of the private jet. "Your belongings are all ready Master Minato," he said._

_The boy who had lost his parents turned to face his four-years-in-service butler. He was taller, but still not tall enough to be considered an adult. His limbs were thinner but were certainly longer. In a dark blue suit he faced his butler with no smile present on his face and said, "Good, then I can finally depart."_

_The twelve year old was stopped by a hand placed in front of him. He traced is back to Igor, who had in his other hand a file. "I know that you've completed your high school and college educations in record time Master Minato, but I'm afraid that I'll still be needed to teach you how to be prepared," the butler said with a smile. He handed his young master the file and mentioned, "These are the people you'll need to see if you want to learn what you seek. My clan's connections run deep. Just drop my name I they'll accept you, whether or not their training regimes will."_

_Minato graciously took the file and looked through all the paper and profiles inside. He then closed it and sighed, "I will master these arts, whether or not it breaks me Igor."_

"_As you wish Master Minato. Margaret is already on the plane awaiting you. I hope that she will be of great service to you now that she is a full grown adult of responsibility."_

_Minato nodded and walked up into the plane. As he was about to turn the corner and out of sight he halted and turned back to the runway where he saw two other people who were seeing him off._

_Theo had been there in his clan's trademark blue tunic and his hands behind his back as he stood. Elizabeth was beside him wearing a female tunic of the same colour his brother wore. Their golden eyes met Minato's and they waved._

"_We will await your return Master Minato," Theo declared._

"_We hope that you find what you're looking for," Elizabeth called out._

_Minato gave them a nod and finally walked into the plane and out of sight. The stairs flipped upwards and closed into the door and the jet revved up its engines._

_The boy made his way to the centre of the plane where Margaret sat at a table for two by the window. The adult grandchild of Igor looked up to her master and asked, "Are you sure this is how you'll save Iwatodai?"_

_Minato sat down in the chair on the other side of the table as the scenery outside the window began to move faster and faster. He faced his servant and replied, "I'm sure."_

* * *

Iwatodai Mainland Airport, Present day

A black jet gleaming in the midday sun landed onto the runway that it had not seen for six years and headed to one of the airport's hangars. As the jet decelerated to a stop its hatch opened and flipped downwards to reveal the stairs.

The first person to walk down those stairs was a tall woman of golden hair and eyes in a dark blue tunic with a skirt for the lower half. She carried a large tome that was half as thick as her fist. When she reached the bottom she turned to the entrance of the jet and said, "I've called grandfather, he will be here to retrieve us in twenty minutes."

Someone walked down the step soon after that. His cobalt had not changed style even after all the travelling and exploring the man had been through. Now tall and broader than before, the boy who left had returned a man. Minato let out a sigh from the fresh air and said, "Good old Igor, I hope he hasn't forgotten how to make a good Earl Grey because I certainly need it."

He looked out of the hangar and to the artificial island that was connected to the mainland by a steel and concrete bridge and train rail. He stared towards it, as if entranced by it, and after taking in the view for moments longer he finally said, "I am home."

Margaret bowed with a smile to her master and replied, "Yes Master Minato, welcome back."

* * *

**And there we go! First half of Thanatos's origin done and I'll have the rest ready soon. Please review so that you can help me make this better and to step up my motivation.**


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